Our clients desperately wanted a swimming pool in their back yard, but they had some clear reservations. First off, their property was a little bit on the smaller side & they were concerned that adding a swimming pool would completely dominate the landscape. Their biggest fear was having a backyard that was simply an over-sized pool & a ton of concrete. Also, they were adamant that they did not want a “cookie-cutter” pool. They had met with other designers & all the ideas sounded the same. They wanted a swimming pool design that would be unique & feel as though it perfectly fit their intimate space.
We focused on accomplishing these design goals by creating a pool that fit our clients’ specific needs. The main focus was to have a place to cool-off & relax through Bakersfield’s biblically hot summers. They also wanted a swimming pool that would accommodate small gatherings & parties. Our solution? An eye-catching plunge pool! Our pool would be smaller in footprint than a standard pool but would pack the same visual punch of a pool twice its size.
In order to maximize the footprint, we chose straight lines to define the swimming pool’s perimeter. We created the swimming pool’s entry directly off from the main patio. This put our plunge pool directly in line with the main views from the house & creates a relaxing focal point for multiple rooms. Next, we created an elevated water feature to drown out the street & city noise from the neighborhood. This water wall features custom copper spillways that create the relaxing sound of falling water as you relax in the pool. We used matching tile for the water wall & capped the wall with a beautiful, bull-nose concrete cap. Flanking the two sides of the water wall, we added columns with concrete planters on top to bring the garden space into the swimming pool. Next, we wanted to add another element to set our clients’ pool apart from the pack. What better compliment to water than fire!
We created a beautiful custom fire-pit neighboring the shallow end of the pool & the main outdoor patio space. This gives our clients the beautiful visual of fire right outside their door & a warm place to gather in the Fall & Winter. We constructed the fire-pit so that it can also be used as a convenient bench seating around the pool & patio space. We also wanted a pool deck that would pack more of a visual punch than simple grey, broom finish concrete. Our clients looked at a variety of our stamped concrete options & we all agreed upon a very natural stamp pattern. This would give our deck a touch of texture without looking too artificial. We added a speckling of color to the textured concrete to create the look of natural grey granite.
Next, we needed to tackle the issue of concealing our clients’ pool equipment within such a small space. Our clients did not like the idea of constructing a large masonry wall & the cost seemed completely unnecessary to us. We opted instead for a vine trellis with espaliered Star Jasmine. After a few short seasons, this aggressive vine will conceal that negative view & help to muffle the noise. Our clients liked the looks of the trellis so much that they had us add an additional trellis to conceal a garden shed in the rear yard.
We completed our overall design by filling our surrounding planters with lush perennials & blooming shrubs. We added a hedge row behind the pool to eventually give the swimming pool a lush, green backdrop.
Now our clients have the perfect swimming pool for their intimate environment & a beautiful garden to match!
Since 1953, Monji Landscape Companies has been a leader in landscape design, landscape construction, & landscape maintenance.
